Tag Archives: grad

Graduation season is here! Although I’m not personally graduating this year (wish I was…) I do know quite a few people who are. Naturally, they will be having parties to celebrate and I happen to have a perfect DIY graduation cap cupcake topper for the occasion. Since these cupcakes are very easy to put together and I think everyone knows someone who is graduating I made a little tutorial for you.

Step 1

Bake cupcakes. I just used boxed mix but homemade
works as well.

Step 2

While your cupcakes are baking you can begin making the base to your graduation cap. Using a microwave safe bowl and melt the candy melts color of your choice. Start by melting for 60 seconds then remove and stir. Continue stirring for 60 seconds. If your candy melts aren’t completely melted after the 60 seconds continue the microwaving process at 30 second intervals (30 seconds then remove and stir) until completely melt.

Step 3

Pour the melted candy melts into an icing bag or squeeze bottle. Once filled use a rubber band to tie off the top of your icing bag then snip the tip.

Step 4

Carefully fill your Wilton peanut butter cup mold and place into the fridge to set.

Step 5

Your cupcakes should be near done baking by this point so once you pull them out of the oven you can set them aside to cool and continue making the rest of the graduation cap.

Step 6

Roll out your fondant into an even sheet.

(If you’re not familiar with fondant you’ll need to rub some vegetable shortening onto it so it doesn’t stick to your hands, the rolling pin or your rolling surface)

Step 7

Using a cookie cutter or an Exacto knife cut squares out of fondant. Make sure they are big enough to cover the candy cups you previously made.

Step 8

Using a complimenting color cut small strips for the tassels. Next, cut an additional three slices towards one end.

Step 9

Using your hand shape small balls (these will be used to hold the tassel in place). Then remove the candy cups from the fridge.

Step 10

Once your cupcakes have cooled completed you can add the frosting. Using your Wilton 1M tip and an icing bag pipe a nice swirl onto your cupcakes.

Step 11

Graduation cap assembly:

1 – Place “peanut butter cup” onto frosting.
2 – Add a tiny bit of frosting to the “peanut butter cup.”
3 – Take fondant square.
4 – Add on tassel just off the center of the square.
5 – Attach by squishing down fondant ball.
(If the fondant ball won’t hold the tassel down you can also try attaching it with a bit of water or more icing)
6 – Place square with tassel onto “peanut butter cup.”

And there you have it! Your very own cupcake with graduation cap decoration.

Congratulations to all of the 2012 grads! I hope everyone has safe and fun celebrations.

– Katie

Give my tutorial a try? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear whether or not it worked out for you.